Almost Alone
by IceMaidenOfLegend
Summary: It was meant to be silent, vague and unnoticed. It was meant to have been over for us. Why then has the past returned? Why does the sky seek blood? - Re-write of Home; Almost Alone.
1. Chapter 1

(ATTENTION – Due to my plot, 'Home; Almost Alone' confused many of its readers. I couldn't bear to erase the past, so I've re-written the story here. It has some of the same issues flowing throughout it, but the plot is distinctly different.

Thank you for your time)

Almost Alone

Shun slowly walks in a dimly lit room. The single ray of light catches on something and he moves over to it. Shun stops by a chest of drawers. He reaches out and lifts a picture frame. A flash of reminiscence crosses his face for the briefest of moments. Then, after a time, his eyes narrow slightly. He places the frame back onto the chest of drawers.

He can't help but wonder what would be better. Should he go and bid his farewells, or simply vanish from their lives? Both options have their merits, and both have their downfalls that seem to even themselves out. He casts his eyes over the entire picture. Shun starts to walk away once more. This time he doesn't look back.

* * *

"Yes, I won!" Runo exclaims gleefully.

"That was luck!" Julie exclaims. "You just got lucky!"

"That was not luck! You're such a sore loser!" Runo snaps.

At the other side of the garden are Dan and Marucho. Dan's brow is burrowed in confusion and irritation. Both of them are locked in a serious conversation. The outside world has disappeared compared to the depth of the matter they discuss.

"Do you really think it's Naga?" Dan frowns, disbelieving.

"I've done my research Dan. There isn't anyone who has power levels like that," Marucho replies.

"Wow, I'd never have thought of him as level Star," Dan sighs, wide eyed and shocked.

"He did swallow the Silent Core," Marucho shrugs. "It's only natural that residual energy from the Silent Core would break away from the Core and transfer to him. If you remember correctly Dan, Drago _is_ the Infinity Core. On his own he only has the abilities of a powerful, but quite basic, Dragonoid."

"Aw, that's not fair," Dan whines, stomping in frustration.

"Dan, have you seen Shun?" Alice asks, worriedly.

"Huh? Oh, is he not here yet?" Dan frowns. "Oh well, I'm sure he's just running late. It's probably nothing."

"Don't worry Alice, I'm sure that he'll be here soon," Marucho smiles reassuringly.

"Oh, there he is now. See, I told you not to worry," Dan grins. "Hey, Shun, what kept you? The food's almost gone."

Shun stops a foot or two from them. His head is lowered and his eyes are fixed on the ground. For a moment he's entirely silent. His fists are clenched by his sides. He takes a deep breath before loosening his fists but his head stays down.

"Shun, what's wrong?" Alice frowns. "Has something happened?"

He refuses to meet their eyes. "I'm sorry,"

"What are you talking about?" Marucho asks, becoming nervous.

"I-" Shun gasps.

Alice darts to his side and takes his arm worriedly. She leans forward to peer up at his face. His expression is blank for only a moment before shock overcomes his features. His eyes flit from side to side as he tries to comprehend what's happening. It doesn't take long after that for him to realise what it is.

His head snaps up and he looks over his right shoulder. He stares out at the lush viridian lawn. The calmness is soon disrupted by a high-pitched scream coming from the forest. The forest is behind Shun and his companions begin to make their way into it to find out what has happened. Shun, though, doesn't move from his place. He grasps Alice's arm to stop her from leaving. She pauses and looks at him apprehensively.

The centre of the lawn, where Shun has been looking, glows. The glow is circular and pale magnolia. Shun pushes Alice behind him as he glares at it. The light rises and becomes a swirling mass of unidentifiable power. The power of its rotation begins to drag everything nearby into it.

**Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed what you read. If you didn't enjoy this then I apologise. I sincerely hope that this re-write does not disappoint you.**

_Disclaimer : I do not own Bakugan and I do not own Beyblade in any of their forms. I only own the plot and Elise._


	2. Chapter 2

Almost Alone

The shadows swirl in black corners with an ominous hum. Shun casts a quick, displeased glance at it and it immediately dies down. This place is dark and no natural light dares to reach into it. He knows that it is a prison and he remembers this place well. His friends are in the cell next to him and they haven't woken yet. He is grateful for their current state of unconsciousness as he is still under oath and forbidden to speak of places including this place where they are imprisoned. His hands clench into fists at the thought of having to break such an oath. He cares for them, he truly does, but they aren't as important as his oath. He always knew that the day would come where he would break his bonds with them entirely.

A soft sound arises and whispers in the hollow of his ear. His head instantly snaps up at the almost inaudible sound. Even though it was quiet he knows that noise and he would recognise it anywhere, anytime, and in any life. He pushes himself off of the natural ledge in the rock face. Eagerly, Shun inches forward in an attempt to find the source. His expression is of extreme concentration as he strains to hear all that he can, but waiting for the revival of that one sound. Soon, after only a few paces, does he locate the source. The sound is directly below him, most likely in a cell directly below his own!

Just as he's about to break through the floor does another noise arise. He growls in irritation and reluctantly walks past the area which the sound had drifted up from. Shun strides to the corner and settles down. His friends are beginning to stir in their cell. Once they awaken he knows that he will have to explain to them what has happened without breaking his oath. Shun knows that he will be forced into giving an explanation as he wouldn't be in this place if that wasn't the intention.

He glowers at the small opening next to the ledge that he was sitting on. They will find him soon enough and turn their attention to demanding an answer. Shun can only hope that at that time he will have an answer prepared that doesn't break his morals.

* * *

"Nngh," Runo groans, clutching her head and she sits upright.

She moans and blinks to try and correct her blurring vision. She sways weakly and tries to make sense of the endless grey that makes up the sky. As time passes the image begins to grow still and become clearer. She sees her friends sprawled on the ground around her and immediately leaps to Dan's side to check for signs of life. As she searches for the pulse point on his throat he stirs and frowns at her. She attacks him with a tight hug and yells her relief at him even though the words themselves are indistinguishable.

The loudness of her relief soon reaches the others. Tiredly, and unhappily, they too begin arousing from their slumber. Once they're up they instantly notice their surroundings. A lot of strange things have happened to them in their lifetime so far but this seems to be one of the strangest. A loud strangled cry erupts from Dan and they work to pry Runo off of him. He struggles to escape her vice-like grip but eventually manages to do so. He splutters and coughs as he tries to catch his breath and take in the strange surroundings.

"What an odd place this is," Marucho comments as he peers at the imposing stone that the cell is made of.

"Tell me about it," Julie huffs. "First we were out in the sun and now we're stuck in this dingy place."

"Does anyone know where this could be?" Dan asks, rubbing his throat where Runo had squeezed him too tightly.

"Well, it appears that we're in a cave," Marucho replies, thoughtfully. "See, this stone that the cell is made of looks like it's been carved from the inside. It-"

Alice gasps, interjecting Marucho's theory. "Where is Shun?"

Julie leaps to her feet and scurries from one end of the cell to the other. "I don't see him! I don't see him! What do you think's happened?"

"How should we know?" Runo snaps as a headache begins to take hold of her. "None of us have seen him…"

"We have to do something," Dan reasons. "He has to be around here somewhere."

* * *

Shun shifts as their conversation drifts over to him. He hasn't much of an explanation for them. Usually all he would need to do is open his mouth and a perfect lie would come out, but not now. He frowns as he tries to make his lie make sense. Nothing he can think of will fill the void in his lie. He decides that he can't put it off any longer or they'll discover him. Shun stands up and slowly starts to make his way over to them. He hopes that his deceit is enough to fool them but he knows that it's flawed.

"Shun," a voice resonates. "Look over this way."

He whips around to face the person and struggles not to let his jaw drop. He hasn't seen this person in years and suddenly this person is back? Shun knows that it's more than a coincidence but it's the only option he has that doesn't involve lying to the Brawlers. Knowing that he'll probably regret this in the moments to come he takes the chance.

**Author's Note: Hello! Yes, it took me quite a while before I got a feel for this chapter but I think it's decent. I can't figure out how to shove some description into that bit with the remaining Brawlers but I'm sure I'll fix it when I get around to editing this story. I've never been good with the balance of description and talking.**

**Anyway, thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I apologise profusely if you haven't. Thank you for your time.**


	3. Chapter 3

Almost Alone

"Why did you come back?" Shun asks.

"Why did you leave?" Kai retorts.

A silence lingers in the wake of Kai's words. Shun has no response. Kai is the condemner. He hasn't believed Shun since that day. He won't suddenly have a change of heart. However, having no response has the exact same effect.

"I didn't want to do this to you," Kai sighs, running his hand through his hair. "You leave me no choice. You and I have to end this. The day is coming where we can't simply stand by anymore. I have to punish you."

Shun remains silent. His gaze is fixated upon the ground. His hands have been shoved deep into his pockets. All of his years of lying and deceiving have been in vain. They were meant for moments like this. He can't find any words. He can't even speak. His voice is no longer his.

"Let's go now," Kai growls quietly. "We should leave now. Going early will improve your chances. You will still lose though."

The silence lingers on. The reason as to why has changed. Shun glances up. Kai is as stubborn as he remembers and he remembers a great deal. There is one memory in particular that he can't escape from. He straightens up and stares at the cave wall. Kai has never been the faster between them. Speed was always a weakness.

"Where is she?" Shun whispers. "What have you done to her?"

Kai snarls viciously; his fury turning to Shun. "What have _I_ done to her? How dare you! She's my friend. She was meant to be yours as well but you abandoned us!"

Kai knows better than to lose his temper. He turns on his heel to walk away. A quick grip on his wrist brings him to a halt. He grits his teeth tightly. His fists clench. Shun's hot breath fans the back of his neck. Both are furious. Neither has the composure or emotional reins needed to calm themselves.

Kai pulls his arm back suddenly. Shun staggers forward, not having let go in time. A quick blow is dealt to his stomach. He crashes to the ground loudly. An ache erupts in his side. He glares at his former friend.

"I'll release it if you don't comply," Kai threatens, his Beyblade directed to Shun's head.

Shun rises to his feet warily. "I won't forgive you if you do,"

"I don't want your forgiveness, _friend_. Or should I say _blood brother_? Our past has long since been erased. You can forget if you want but none of us will," he glares.

"What of her? Will she forgive you?" silence ensues for a long moment. Then Shun flinches. "Kai, you-"

He releases his Beyblade. It lands on Shun's foot. He cries out and topples forward. The two collide violently. As they regain their balance a bright light bursts out from the wall.

"Oof!"

"Just as pathetic as ever, I see," Kai scowls.

"You are nothing against me. What does that leave you as?" Shun retorts.

A sudden eruption of heat sears the air. The two collapse. Sweat is beading on their foreheads. The _clank_ of boots against the corrugated steel floor re-awakens them. They rise instantly. As the footsteps approach they hurry away. The lack of distance between them is temporarily forgotten.

_Crssh_

A huge vat of oil is overturned. The mechanical arms swing back and forth until all the oil has been depleted. The oil itself is seeping into the indentations of the floor. Shun lingers behind for a moment. The scene defies his expectations entirely.

"So this is the world you inhabit," he muses. "I should have known. This underhand…"

The two freeze. Voices drift down from a ventilation grille. The voices belong to two men. They speak in stern, quick tones that refuse to be discreet. Shun and Kai inch closer. They duck to avoid detection from those patrolling the area.

- _It's so worrying._

_~ Don't think of it like that. Think of us and the end. We can all achieve satisfaction. You and I will benefit tremendously… Ah, you… Ha ha!_

_- If someone discovers us then you will take the fall. Don't expect me so save you. You're nothing more than a traitor._

Shun and Kai withdraw from their place. Remaining there would be too much of a risk. Detection must be avoided at all times – a rule that was drilled into them by an unforgiving mentor.

"Is this your _innocence_?" Kai sneers as they creep across the corrugated steel. "Doesn't your world know corruption?"

"Of course there is. I don't notice it that much though. I'm too busy saving the world to bother with that," Shun smirks.

"To think you pride yourself on the suffering of others," Kai scoffs. "You may well partake in relieving them of their suffering but you are just as guilty. As long as there are those who enjoy assisting others, who want to save others, there will always be a situation where such a person is needed."

Shun remains silent. His mouth is carved into a deep frown. Their discussion will escalate into a loud argument if they continue. The two could never find agreement. Instead of arguing, Shun scans the room quickly. The room is large – too large. A small city could fit their population into the room, it appears. His calculations are rarely wrong.

Kai speeds up. A small grille is ahead of them. Shun matches his pace with ease. They grasp at the bars and pull it away. The metal shrieks against the steel floor. They slip through unharmed into a small black room.

Kai races to the other side of the room. He pushes the door open and steps out. Shun follows suit and the two regret it instantly.

"Who's this, Kai?" Kenny enquires curiously.

**Author's Note: I'm back! My hiatus is over now. My personal problems have been dealt with and I can resume my stories. I'm very pleased to have returned. I hope that I haven't disappointed you, my dearest readers. I truly am sorry for being away for so long. I can't imagine disappearing for such a length of time again!**

**This chapter will all make sense in the coming days. The next upload should put some answers to you. The upload after that should clear up the rest of the questions (that I can afford to clear up) and bring out a new one or two. I'm so excited! I can't explain how happy I am!**

**Please enjoy my work. I thank you very much for sparing the time to read this chapter. I apologise if you are disappointed.**

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Bakugan Series. I do not own any of the Beyblade series. I am in possession of the plotline, _'her'_ and the order of these words._


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